No abstract

The new configuration of force sensors and the new AFF joint work well in their basic functions. The total force-sensing error is estimated as approximately 0.5 N. One of the main reasons for the error appears to be the deformation of the adapter frame.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

For moderating the edge contact of gear tooth surfaces on load, a new concept has been proposed on designing worm gearing. As a first step of research, restricting a field of application of the designing concept, a few methods for generating tooth surface of hourglass worm gearing having a small lead angle have been devised. This paper tries to apply this designing concept to wider general use — an hourglass worm gearings with a large lead angle. First, the worm axis displacement relative to the wheel axis is roughly calculated by means of elastic deformation theory. And, this idea is applied to the gear designs using two kinds of hourglass worm gearings. As a result, validity of this design concept is substantiated also in the case of large lead angle of worm gearing.

For delicate operations conducted using surgical robot systems, surgeons need to receive information regarding the contact forces on the tips of surgical instruments. For the detection of this contact force, one of the authors previously proposed a new method, called the overcoat method, in which the instrument is supported by sensors positioned on the overcoat pipe. This method requires cancellation of the acceleration forces of the instrument/holder attached to the overcoat sensor. In the present report, the authors attempt to use acceleration sensors to obtain the acceleration forces of the instrument/holder. The new cancellation method provides a force-detection accuracy of approximately 0.05-0.1 N for a dynamic response range of up to approximately 20 Hz, compared to approximately 1 Hz, which was achieved by using acceleration forces based on the theoretical robot motion.

No abstract